Pida’s Life

My name is Leng Poung Pida. I live in Kontrok village. I am 23 years old. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. I am a part time teacher in Wat Chork primary school and a seamstress in HHA. In previous time, my family was middle class. We had enough money to support our family, because my whole family was supported by my mother. After my mother has serious illness and my family became lower and lower. No members in my family had a job to do. My father is a soldier. His salary is little, and he rarely came back home. Her illness was worse and worse and died.

After that I decided to stop studying and helped my sister to sell a little thing to find some money to support my family and my younger brother study. At night I went to dance. One year later, I met my mother’s friends; they told me, “You should go back to school”. Then I asked director to study again and he allowed me to study until I had finished high school, as well as my brother. One day, HHA staff went to my house to recruit sewing students. They asked me whether I was interested in sewing program. I told them I am interested in sewing program, but I didn’t have money. They chosen me to study in HHA, and I was so happy. When I studied there, I got not only sewing program, but also more knowledge related to life skills. After I had finished one term, I have been chosen as seamstress to make products for HHA. Now I can have enough money to support my family. I would to thank you for HHA and donators.

Note: Pida graduated from our expert sewing class in October 2014. She now has a full set of sewing skills, with her most popular product being our elephants, which frequently sell out!